7 And when the thousand years are finished, Satan will be released from his prison,

8 and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore.

9 And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them.

— Revelation 20:7-9

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us take hold of our confession.

— Hebrews 4:14

5 In this way also Christ did not glorify Himself to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, “You are My Son, today I have begotten You”;

6 just as He says also in another passage,
“You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

— Hebrews 5:5-6

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and love from Christ to you.

An amazing experience awaits those who enter Christ’s kingdom as resurrected believers. The dread of physical death is past. The second death, God’s eternal condemnation, holds no threat because Christ experienced judgment in their place. Believers anticipate the exhilarating fulfillment of Christ’s kingdom, when they will be “priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him.” The fruitful service for which all were created will be offered gratefully to Jesus Himself, the perfect High Priest and King. God’s people will humbly take their place in His divine government of the universe-under the personal leadership of the slain, triumphant Lamb!

With Satan bound, Christ’s kingdom presents a unique time for human beings. Unlike the redeemed believers in their resurrected bodies, unbelievers born and living during this time will retain humanity’s sin nature and display the reality of human depravity. Sinners are capable of sin and rebellion against God, even apart from Satan’s influence and deception. They will be tested and tempted, even while living under the perfect rule of a loving King and leadership of believers. They will rebel against one last time since they don’t have God’s divine life in them.